Life on Black Creek
by Shadazefan14
Summary: "I wasn't ready for this. I don't have a - idea what I'm doing. I still needed his advice but now he's gone and never coming back. I have a young boy, a wife and now a big ranch on my shoulders. God took that cowboy too soon but I promise you I won't let him down." Shadaze, Knuxouge, Silvamy Very Depressing! Alcohol content


Chapter 1

I OWN NOTHING

I OWN CHASE

Where ever you look, all you would see it black. Two people had shovels in their hands digging a hole. A 6 foot deep hole. They were in the family cemetery in the back corner of Black Creek. Friends and family gathered around to mourn the life of a hard working rancher. One young mother stood next to her husband. Tears were rolling down her face as she held her baby tight against her chest. Her husband had one arm around her waist. The young woman's mother stood next to the coffin. The preacher stood up and started speaking. "There was no other man like Chet Parson. He worked hard every day of his life. He had friends and he had enemies but he treated them all the same. He lived long enough to see his grandson and he will watch him grow up and be a strong man just like his father but he will be walking with Jesus. God said he needed another cowboy and Chet was his pick we all know he left too soon but he isn't suffering like he was down here. Anybody want to add something?"

The light blue cat cleared her throat and wiped her eyes. "Chet and I met when we were in 1st grade. We became good friends but before we knew it we became more than just friends. Chet never laid a hurting hand upon me. He wasn't the kind to hurt but to give and that's exactly what he did. He held a deep hatred to Don Farrington but when Don changed his ways, his hatred went away. His wish was to have a son and we did for a short period of time. When Dusty died he got a beautiful, hardworking daughter. He loved her with all of his heart. He would stay up late to comfort her when she had a nightmare or a broken heart. He taught her to ride, and how to fight." Faith stopped for a second. "But most of all, he had a hard time letting her go. He knew that the guy she was marring wasn't bad or would ever lay a hurting hand upon her but he wasn't ready for his baby girl to grow up. Chet had a wonderful life and he wouldn't have traded his life for anything else."

"My dad, was the best father I could ever ask for. He worked hard to save his pennies to get me something I didn't deserve. He bought me a horse that is learning to be a pulling horse, I didn't need another horse and he knew that but he got me one anyways. When I was in school, I was up half of my high school nights crying because somebody broke my heart. He would confront the boy, give him a few lickens then spend the whole night telling me that love can end two ways. Good or bad. I preferred the good way but you can't always get what you want. When I got dumped on the side of the road, in the middle of the night, he woke up and spent the whole night trying to figure out what road I was on. My father loved me and my mom and his last little life he had, he loved Chase." Lavender cat couldn't hold back another round of tears.

Her husband pulled her in close and held her tight. Then a light brown hedgehog spoke up. "Before I became the man I am today, I wanted Black Creek. I knew Chet would die for his land but I wanted it. I even tried taking his land by deadly force. I might've killed a man but I didn't wound Chet. Chet was a man of steel. It took a lot to injure the man. He was also the most hard working man I knew and I wished I would've changed my ways sooner because he was a good friend what little time we had."

After everybody finished, the black and red hedgehog left his wife to help lower the coffin into the grave. That was when he shed his first tear. He didn't cry when his parents died and he didn't cry when he lost his ranch. He wiped the tear away and walked back to his wife. The men with shovels started covering the grave. About an hour later, everybody was gathered around in the ranch house. They shared stories of their time with Chet. When the party started to break up, the ranch hands were all looking at the ground. Shadow felt the weight being put on his shoulders, he was boss now. He always dreamed of running a ranch but not this way. "Go get the horses fed, I'll be right out." Shadow said and headed up to his bedroom.

"He wasn't ready for this." Frank said.

"He told Blaze he doesn't know what he is doing. His mind isn't working right. Just do whatever he tells you boys and don't argue with him." Faith said.

"We won't, he has lost two fathers I think that's gotta be hard." Sonic said.

The ranch hands headed out to do the job at hand. Shadow made it up to his room and saw Blaze sitting on the bed with her knees pulled up to her chest. He sat down next to her and rubbed her back. "Why did he have to go so soon?" Blaze asked.

"Something's are just meant to be. Chet was suffering down here and we both knew that. He isn't in anymore pain and he can go ride in the heat and not have to worry about passing out."

"But he doesn't get to watch Chase grow up."

"I know."

"He was only 54 years old, his time wasn't now but later."

"Blaze, I know he was young and you expected him to live longer but there was nothing you could do. I know this is hard because I have been through this once already."

Shadow pulled her in close and she cried on his chest. "I've got to get my work done, I'll be back." Shadow said and stood up.

Before he stepped out of the room, Blaze stopped him. "You can do it Shadow, it is in your blood." Blaze said.

Shadow nodded his head and grabbed his hat from the rack. He slipped his boots on and faced the world as a new man. Frank saw the hurt behind the young man's eyes, he was definitely not ready to take over. Bill and Frank continued working but the young guys quit. "I didn't say stop, we have stuff that needs to be done before the day ends. Get it done." Shadow said and grabbed a hay bale and headed into the stables.

Sonic and Silver watched their friend disappear behind the stable door. They would never be able to look at their friend the same way ever again. Blaze came outside. "Where did Shadow go?" She asked Sonic.

"In the stables." Sonic replied.

Blaze nodded her head and headed into the stables. Shadow had one foot up on a bale and his head on his knee. Blaze walked up and placed her hand on his back. "Are you okay?" She asked.

Shadow stood up straight. "I wish I could say I was okay Blaze but I'm not."

"Shadow, I know this is hard but you need to try. Try is the only way you could get better. The same thing happened to my dad when I was about 5. His father died and he didn't have clue what he was doing but he tried. You need to do the same."

"I never learned how to run a ranch. My dad never taught me but the thing was he never was home to show me. He was a rodeo star so he was always away. The main ranch hand ran the ranch but he wasn't the nicest man. I never was allowed to help. Then Chet came along. He showed me things that I never knew. He was like the father I never had known but now he's gone and I don't have a - idea what I'm doing."

"Shadow, I have lived on this ranch my whole life. I know what we have to do, I will help you but it was Chet's wish for a man to run Black Creek and not me."

Shadow had tears in his eyes. Blaze had never seen a man cry, besides her dad, in her life. She walked up to him and threw her arms around him and he held her tight. She felt his tear hit her shoulder and she couldn't keep hers back. They stayed that way for 10 minutes, all they did was cry. Shadow let Blaze go and he stood up straight. He wiped the tears and picked up the hay bale. He headed towards the end and feed it out. Blaze walked out and headed into the house. Faith was holding Chase in her rocking chair. "How's he doing?" Faith asked.

"He's frustrated, mad, and upset." Blaze said and grabbed Chase from her mom.

"He will get better. It might take a year but he will understand what he needs to do."

"I know he will." Blaze said.


End file.
